title: Characteristics of referral to a multidisciplinary palliative home care team.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Until now, in Belgium at least, no scientific information has been available about which patients are referred to multidisciplinary palliative home care teams (MHCT) and by which caregivers, nor about timing of referral and factors associated with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study was carried out during a nine-month period in the oldest Flemish MHCT, and included all patients for whom a palliative care trajectory had been initiated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 325 patients (54% male, mean age 71 years, 83% cancer patients) were referred: 25% by their GP, 24% by hospital social workers, and 22% by the patient's family. Median timing of referral was 26 days (IQR 8-78) before death. Patients of 75 years or older were more likely to have been referred later by comparison with younger patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Timely referral to a MHCT seems to be difficult and not equal for all patients. Referral timing varies largely by age groups and diseases.
authors.affiliation: End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Drieskens
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bilsen
authors.forename: Lieve
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Den Block
authors.forename: Reginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deschepper
authors.forename: Sabien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bauwens
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Distelmans
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deliens
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018579:Patient Selection; D024382:Professional Role; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors